TPN :: No Illusions with Cameron Reilly | Archive

Jesus Banned By Twitter?

Posted on 30. Apr, 2009 by Cameron Reilly in twitter

Someone today pointed out to me that the username “Jesus” hadn’t been taken on Twitter – when you go to twitter.com/jesus it’s blank – and suggested I take the username. I was sure someone would have already grabbed, so I went to check out what would happen if I tried to register it. Sure enough, Twitter says the username is already taken:

Although this is obviously not true.

My question is – what if Jesus comes back, tries to reach his followers via Twitter and finds out it’s already taken?! Is this religious discrimination by Twitter?

Genes, Neuroscience, and Free Will

Posted on 30. Apr, 2009 by Cameron Reilly in free will

The American Enterprise Institute recently held a panel discussion about free will. I’m listening to a recording of it at the moment. Unfortunately, none of the panelists seems to be a geneticist or a neuroscientist.

The Rich Get Richer

Posted on 29. Apr, 2009 by Cameron Reilly in General

clipped from www.thenation.com

TAX TIME: Just in time for April 15, the folks at the
Institute for Policy Studies have released a report that
documents the stunning generation-long reversal of progressive tax
policies and offers seven concrete proposals for restoring basic
fairness to the IRS’s methods–and hundreds of billions in lost revenue
to the Treasury. Their report, Tax Day 2009, notes that America’s
most affluent 1 percent–taxpayers who averaged $1.3 million in income
in 2006–saw a federal income tax rate of 22.8 percent. In 1986 that
same cohort averaged $507,520 in inflation-adjusted income and paid 33.1
percent of it in taxes. Over the past twenty years, this elite 1 per-
cent saw their share of the nation’s income double, from 11.3 percent to
22.1 percent, but their tax burden shrank by about one-third.

A fascinating article in The Nation about how the wealthy elite in the US have been getting richer while reducing their taxation over the last 20 years. The top 1 percent of Americans earn 22.1 percent of the nation’s income. 22 PERCENT!!!! Over a fifth of the incomes is earned by 1 percent of the people. Why aren’t people taking to the streets and rioting? My guess – because the media has turned them into pacified sheep. We’ve been taught not to cause trouble, not to try to change things outside of voting inside of a corrupt system controlled by the wealthy elite.

BTW, I heard this quote in a terrific recent podcast by Bill Moyers where he interviews David Simon, creator of THE WIRE, probably the smartest television drama ever produced. It’s a commentary on the state of ‘the system’ in America (and we’re not that different). You should listen to this show: http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/04172009/profile.html

And, of course, if you haven’t seen The Wire, make it a priority. It’s truly brilliant, insightful drama.

GDay World 374 – Steve McDonald on Spiral Dynamics

Posted on 27. Apr, 2009 by Cameron Reilly in Podcast

This is the recording from the live show I did last Tuesday. Find out how you can be part of the G’Day World Live experience here.

My guest on the show is Steve McDonald from a company called Transcendence.

Steve McDonald

Steve has consulted in change management, strategic planning and organisational development in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors since 1998. His professional background spans the defence, aviation and emergency services industries.

He came on the show to explain to me what Spiral Dynamics is all about.

Steve is blogging about change at http://www.eman8.net

Follow Steve on Twitter: http://twitter.com/stevemc1